By Staff
Freddy Groves
Franklin County Times
Here are two ideas you can use immediately to help the troops.
1) Operation Homefront has received the highest possible rating – four stars – from a leading charity evaluator. What this means to us is that we can trust where our donation dollars go: Fully 82 percent of each dollar goes into programs, not into administration costs or advertising.
Operation Homefront provides emergency assistance to the troops, families when the troops are away and wounded warriors when they come home. That assistance is wide ranging: computers for families to stay in touch, financial help in emergencies, vehicle donations and repair, holiday baskets to families and the troops, physical labor to help with moving, and more. Thus far, Operation Homefront has provided more than $5 million to military families.
To volunteer or to donate, check the Web site www.operationhomefront.net, or call 1-800-722-6098.
2) Operation Gratitude, another very worthy charity, is in the middle of its holiday season.
At this point it has sent more than 260,000 packages to troops in hostile areas. This holiday season, it hopes to top the 300,000 mark. While items in the packages are donated, the postage and packaging are not. It costs nearly $10 to mail each one. And these aren't just ordinary packages.
Each one is individually addressed to the recipient and contains two letters or cards, as well as quality products. The recipient of the 250,000th package received the keys to a brand-new SUV.
If you'd like to donate to help with shipping costs, send checks to Operation Gratitude, 16444 Refugio Road, Encino, CA 91436. Check the Web site Wish List for items it needs to go in the packages this holiday season. (www.opgratitude.com)
And if you wonder whether the packages are appreciated, check the Web site. Look at the photos and read the responses.
Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.